Saturday, July 30, 2011

Nice packing job, eh ? I guess I don't think I'm looking to win any prizes for orderly packing. This is what I'm taking up to Ashland, Oregon on my two week trip to teach at UBI. As you can see, I'm also intending to do a bit of riding. I'll be reporting from the road here and there.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

We have a new rider on the team who is pretty serious about cyclocross. Serious enough that he had to get a single speed and a geared bike so that all options were available .This frame is equipped with Mike Ahren's slider dropouts in 7005 aluminum mated to some scandium main tubes.Although the dropout has a discmount on it now, it will be removed later. This will be a rim-brake bike so that wheel exchanges with the pit will be a lot easier. If you go disc, you had better have your own spares as the neutral support and your team mates are unlikely to have what you need.This is the geared version and it is a full 1/2 lb. lighter. The bike will be heavier all built up as the single speed drivetrain has a lot less components. The geared bike will probablly be about 17 1/2 lbs. while the single speed might be only 15 lbs. There will now be about six single speeders on the team.....maybe we will rule the Nor-Cal S/S 'cross scene.This is scandium from the shipment I got about two years ago. I am getting more soon and it will be a variety of tubes , even some MTB tubes. I'm hoping that the new stuff is a little heavier so that it can be suitable for larger riders.

Monday, July 18, 2011

The level top tube on this frame isn't something I do often but this was requested and the rider is experienced enough to know what he wants. The bright red will be easy to spot at races.This frame is built from the new scandium tubes I have-very light and easy on the shoulder.

Friday, July 15, 2011

A customer saw the 25th anniversary frame and was inspired to get this frame painted in a very similar scheme. The panels are candy apple red instead of the coke-can red of the original. In this photo the colors look a little dark-I just managed to get the photo shot before going home late in the day.Since the panels were red the headset and seat collar needed to be the same-fortunately the color is a common anodized shade and the whole effect is pretty nice.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

This is my new 29er. Now I must ride it and ride it a lot......I have to get the full experience so that I can either be a convert or just another guy who tried it and didn't like it. From my few little test rides I really think I'll keep this bike until either it or I break !The buildup is XTR for the most part. I had to sell a whole bunch of stuff to finance this project but hey, might as well go for it if you are wanting a quality ride that will hold up for a long time.I built the wheels with some Stan's rims.....not because I like them or will run tubeless. I built with the rims because they were white. It's a sickness, you know. The three-bolt FSA cranks shows that advertisements in magazines some times work. I saw it and said " Hell, I got to get one of those." Is it any good ? I'll let you know. It is really light......one less bolt , at least.

Time's a wastin'. I have only a few weeks left before I go off to Ashland to teach my class at UBI so I'm trying to squeeze out a bunch more bikes before the end of the month. There was no way to build this one fast but it is done and getting shipped to the painter tomorrow. It has the last Pacenti P.B.P. crown in my stash. I hope they become available again.The brake bosses are set for Paul's Racer center-pull brakes......very powerful and stylish.

Friday, July 8, 2011

If this frame looks tall to you, it is. I think this might be one of the largest steel 'cross frames I have ever built. The rider is 6'8" and has a standover of nearly 40". I guess this is why he ordered a frame from me.....not much chance of finding anything in the local bike shop this big.The frame is nearly all true temper OX and weighs about 4 lb. 12 oz. , a lot lighter than I though it would wind up. It is amazing how this very stout tubeset still builds a really light frame.The seatstays are pretty much uncut from their full length......very unusual as it it seldom that I build a bike for anyone with legs this long.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Yes, here are three more for the team. I still have two more batches to go but not all of those will be for our team. One of these is a repaired frame-these bikes get the crap beaten out of them but they are good bikes and certainly worth repairing for another season's beating.